What does it take to make history? From Susan B. Anthony to Rosa Parks to Ruth Bader Ginsburg, there's been no shortage of women who weren't afraid to fight the good fight and change the world. In celebration of Women's History Month, we're putting the spotlight on the contributions of women in history by honoring the pioneers who made major advances in civil rights, women's suffrage, racial equality, environmental justice, reproductive rights, and much, much more. Ahead, we've rounded up the stories behind some of the most influential women, ever. And make sure to check back often; we're adding a new name to the list every day in March.
Maya Angelou
(1928-2014)
Her mark on history: American literature
How life would be different without her: Angelou authored seven autobiographical books, including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, and will be forever beloved for her powerful poems. Born in Missouri, she was an active voice in the civil rights movement. She recited her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" at Bill Clinton's presidential inauguration in 1993. In addition to gaining national recognition for her writing, Angelou made many people rethink their ideas about sex workers by writing about her own experience as a sex worker.
Her words to live by:"Be a rainbow in somebody else's cloud."
Sacagawea
(1788-1812)
Her mark on history: Member of the Lewis and Clark expedition
How life would be different without her: A Native American from the Shoshone tribe, Sacajawea was married to French fur trapper Toussaint Charbonneau when the couple joined the expedition ordered by Thomas Jefferson to explore the lands of the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase. Sacagawea's language skills made her an invaluable resource for Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, the expedition's leaders, on a trek that took them from St. Louis, MO, to the Pacific Ocean in 1804 to 1806. Sacajawea brought her newborn son, Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau, on the mission, too — he was born just two months before the group headed west. While Sacajawea ended up on the mission largely because of her husband, she proved to be essential to it in her own right, becoming an example for generations of women in the United States.
Madeleine Albright
(born 1937)
Her mark on history: The first female U.S. secretary of state
How life would be different without her: Born in Czechoslovakia, Albright and her parents moved to the United States when she was a child. Albright has been candid about her childhood experiences — in 2015, she tweeted, "My family fled Hitler and then communism. Becoming an American was the best thing that ever happened to me." As a diplomat representing the U.S. government, she served as ambassador to the United Nations before Bill Clinton named her secretary of state in 1996. Albright paved the way for Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton. She has never been afraid to speak her mind: She recently told CNN that the 2016 GOP primary race is "like children in a school yard calling each other names."
Her words to live by:"There is a special place in hell for women who do not help other women."
Sojourner Truth
(1797-1883)
Her mark on history: The U.S. abolitionism movement
How life would be different without her: Sojourner Truth escaped slavery in Ulster County, N.Y., in 1826, along with her infant daughter. Truth also made history when she won a legal battle against a white man to get her son back when he was sold into slavery in Alabama. She was an essential figure in the abolitionism movement, and she is widely recognized for her "Ain't I a Woman?" speech, delivered in 1851 at the Ohio Women's Rights Convention.
Her words to live by:"Truth is powerful, and it prevails."
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
(born 1933)
Her mark on history: The U.S. Supreme Court
How life would be different without her: Ginsburg was the second female justice ever appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court (Sandra Day O'Connor was the first). Now, she serves along with two other female justices, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor. Before serving on the Supreme Court, Ginsburg fought for women's rights as a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union. Ginsburg continues to fight for equality as a Supreme Court justice today.
Her words to live by:"Now the perception is, yes, women are here to stay,"Ginsburg said of the Supreme Court during the 10th Circuit Bench & Bar Conference in 2012. "And when I'm sometimes asked, 'When will there be enough?' and I say, 'when there are nine,' people are shocked. But there'd been nine men, and nobody's ever raised a question about that."
Susan B. Anthony
(1820-1906)
How she made her mark on history: The women's suffrage movement
How life would be different without her: A teacher in the New York state school system, Anthony fought for equal education for women and Black people in 19th-century America. She orchestrated the first women's suffrage convention in Washington, D.C. in 1869, and three years later, was arrested and convicted for voting in Rochester, N.Y. She refused to pay her fine. In 1920, the United States passed the 19th Amendment, unofficially known as the Anthony Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.
Her words to live by: "Independence is happiness."
Gloria Steinem
(born 1934)
How she made her mark on history: The second-wave feminism movement
How life would be different without her: Steinem is one of modern feminism's most inspiring voices. She testified in Senate hearings about the Equal Rights Amendment in 1970, and has been vocal about a variety of issues that impact women, including reproductive rights, child abuse, and female genital mutilation. She grabbed national attention with her undercover exposé of working as a Playboy bunny, rose to prominence as a columnist for New York magazine, and cofounded the feminist magazine Ms.
Her words to live by:"Imagine we are linked, not ranked."
Rosa Parks
(1913-2005)
How she made her mark on history: The Civil Rights movement
How life would be different without her: Parks helped spark a revolution when she refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a city bus in Montgomery, AL, in 1955. She was arrested and eventually lost her job as a seamstress at a local department store. But her act of civil disobedience inspired a boycott of Montgomery's buses that lasted 381 days and drew national attention. The following year, the Supreme Court declared segregation on buses to be unconstitutional — an important victory in the fight for racial equality in the United States.
Her words to live by:"I believe we are here on the planet Earth to live, grow up, and do what we can to make this world a better place for all people to enjoy freedom,” Parks told Life magazine in 1988.
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